Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Hero Lost Release, May Movie Preview, and Ninja News

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.


My awesome co-hosts today are Nancy Gideon, Tamara Narayan, Liesbet @ Roaming About, Michelle Wallace, and Feather Stone!

May question - What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?

I kept hearing how important research was. So, for my fourth book, I decided to do some intensive research before I began to write. Sea kelp plays an integral role in Dragon of the Stars. It’s an energy source, a food, and a drug.

I did extensive research online, gathering pages upon pages of information.

And while it helped to shape the story, almost none of what I learned made it to the page.

If anyone wants to know more about sea kelp, please let me know.  I can hook you up...

The IWSG anthology is out now!

Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
Print ISBN 9781939844361
eBook ISBN 9781939844378

Can a lost hero find redemption?
What if Death himself wanted to die? Can deliverance be found on a bloody battlefield? Could the gift of silvering become a prison for those who possessed it? Will an ancient warrior be forever the caretaker of a house of mystery?
Delving into the depths of the tortured hero, twelve authors explore the realms of fantasy in this enthralling and thought-provoking collection. Featuring the talents of Jen Chandler, L. Nahay, Renee Cheung, Roland Yeomans, Elizabeth Seckman, Olga Godim, Yvonne Ventresca, Ellen Jacobson, Sean McLachlan, Erika Beebe, Tyrean Martinson, and Sarah Foster.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these twelve tales will take you into the heart of heroes who have fallen from grace. Join the journey and discover a hero’s redemption!

Find on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, and Goodreads

And visit Michelle Wallace today for a special feature with the authors of Hero Lost!

Ninja News

Special shout-out to Laura Brambrey! She featured CassaStar in a segment regarding non-romantic love stories. (If you’ve not read CassaStar, it follows two ‘brothers’ in a war.)
Laura says: The one that instantly springs to mind actually comes from a genre that sits outside of my usual comfort zone. Cassa Star by Alex J. Cavanaugh is pure sci-fi, but it’s a book that I have now re-read over half a dozen times for the central relationship - the friendship of the young pilot, Byron, and the older, more experienced navigator, Bassa. Cavanaugh crafts their story in such a way that, although they may be training and fighting in the far reaches of the galaxy, their friendship develops like a classic romance. And every single time I’ve read it, it has reduced me to an emotional, sobbing wreck.
I still feel bad I make her cry though.
Thanks, Laura!

Reedsy just posted a great article - Dynamic Character: How to write a compelling protagonist.
They have a lot of great articles and resources. If you’re not following the site or subscribed to their newsletter, then you need to check it out.

New release:

Where Words Fail, Music Speaks
A collection of short stories and poetry by writers from all walks of life.
Featuring stories from Annalisa Crawford, Clare Dugmore, Kyra Lennon, and more.

Ultimate Principle: A DCI Lane Rivers Novel by NJ Burggraf
The job is brutal. It sucks every ounce of life out of you.
Find on Amazon

May Movie Preview

Here are the upcoming theatrical releases for May! As always, descriptions courtesy of the IMDB. Snark provided by me.

5 –

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' continues the team's adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage.
Director: James Gunn
Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper
Now, repeat after me. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot!
Oh yeah – this is going to rock!



12 –

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Robbed of his birthright, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy - whether he likes it or not.
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Annabelle Wallis, Hermione Corfield
Sherlock Holmes meets Excalibur. With Guy Ritchie, you know it will be quirky.


19 –

Alien: Covenant
The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.
Director: Ridley Scott
Stars: Katherine Waterston, Michael Fassbender, James Franco, Noomi Rapace
Hopefully the covenant is Thou Shall Not Suck as Bad as Prometheus…


26 -

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Captain Jack Sparrow searches for the trident of Poseidon.
Directors: Joachim Rønning | Espen Sandberg
Stars: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Orlando Bloom
One day, dead series will tell no more movies…

Baywatch
Devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchanan butts heads with a brash new recruit. Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay.
Director: Seth Gordon
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon Larracuente
Why do they keep turning all of our 80’s dramas into slapstick comedies?

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever researched? Picking up Hero Lost? What book made you cry? What movies are you looking forward to this month?

And we need IWSG co-hosts for June, July, and August! Let me know if you can co-host.